http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , South Africa , Western Cape en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 15:30:33 +0000 Fri, 24 May 2013 15:30:33 +0000 Dear NellieI was just wondering what you were up to Are you still eating all the juicy veggies visitors to your sanctuary dish out to you and your 4 legged friends Are you still relishing showing off your gentle strength leaning gently against us whilst we try to push you along Do you the gentlest of all giant creatures ever wonder how great life would be if there were no poachers and hunters http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Tsitsikamma-National-Park/blog-787100.html We went to Seal Island with a boat from False Bay Cape Town. It was very choppy and the waves were huge. In fact it was the first trip after a couple of days of cancellations. It was worth it. When we arrived we were greeted by thousands of Cape Fur Seals. The island is just 4 metres high with no beach or vegetation just resting frolicking seals.We did not see any great whites pleasure yet to c http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Garden-Route/blog-786842.html Well Good EveningI39m here in the sitting room of the Bonne Esperance where books crowd the shelves there is a chess table and piano to my left a furnace on the wall in front of me and complimentary vino atop the piano. Need I say I feel classy and extremely relaxed at the moment I think Josh is still enjoying his late afternoon nap in the room so I know he is at least feeling relaxed http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Stellenbosch/blog-786360.html It39s been a few days so I39ll try to catch you all up with all of our happenings. After a morning safari on Tuesday we sadly left Sanbona behind for the coast. It was another great game drive as we saw 3 lions play with a small herd of rhinos. They were just running around them having fun since the rhinos could have easily fended off any real attack. The whole experience on the Safari was http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/blog-786115.html Cheers loyal followers We left Cape Town this morning for a road trip out to Sanbona Wildlife Reserve for our first ever African safari. I turned on the radio about 5 minutes into the trip and Journey was full into the first chorus of Don39t Stop Believing. Couldn39t have been a better indication of how the rest of our day would go. It was about a 3 hour drive out to the welcome lodge at http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Klein-Karoo/blog-785759.html Did you miss us last night Sorry to keep anybody hanging but we wanted to throw a little suspense into your blogreading adventure. Well let me fill you in on today and yesterday.YESTERDAY Saturday had 3 key points if I had to narrow it down. First of which was the trip out to Robben Island the island that Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years. We took a 45 min boat ride out to the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-785623.html Its 830 PM here we just got back from dinner and Brady is already asleep on the couch. Maybe we should scale back the physical activity if we plan to run a half marathon on Sunday but its been too much fun hiking and exploring the Cape to slow down now.This morning we set out on one of those ultra touristy red double decker sightseeing buses to get to Table Mountain. Since they run eve http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/blog-785409.html Day 1 in Africa was a big success for the Atkins brothers. Were already using local terms like tomato sauce ketchup cheers and servilletes napkins to blend in like locals. Were going to interweave and combo this entry since Brady really wants to write about his encounter with the penguins at Boulder Beach can you blame me brady. I Josh woke up at 430 AM amped and ready to go b http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-785266.html Hey Everyone just wanted to let you know we made it our hotel in Cape Town. Looks like it should be a really great two weeks. The hotel is awesome has two bathrooms a jacuzzi bathtub in the room living room and a kitchenette. We39re really going to rough it here.Well hopefully we can post plenty of pictures during the next few days. But it39s almost 11 PM here and after 24 hours of flyi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-785129.html Apologies for not posting pics sooner we don39t always pick up wifi in our room and most evenings we39ve passed out before rallying ourselves to hunt down more consistent wireless we39ve also been listening to Nelson Mandela39s autobiography A Long Walk to Freedom at night. We also seem to be thwarted whenever we make plans to work on the blog. The first night our local metro trai http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-779832.html Despite lack of photographic proof we39re here safe and sound. long flights and overpriced airport coffee have left us feeling jetlagged. Copenhagen 711 served only fair trade organic coffee cool beans in our books That actually led us to a questioning conversation last night what is fair trade who does the certification how do the standards vary by regionIt39s the long weekend so http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-778832.html March 16 2013 Stellenbosch RSA After the OSSA meeting we took some time to tour the country side around Cape Town and visit the town of Stellenbosch. It is an old Dutch town founded in 1679 where the University of Stellenbosch is located in the foothills of the very beautiful mountain foothills with vineyards and olive groves lining the highways. We stopped for a meal at one of the larger w http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Stellenbosch/blog-776261.html March 16 2013 Cape Town RSA This is the 43rd National Congress of the Ophthalmological Society of South Africa and is being held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre a very nice facility in downtown Cape Town. The program includes sessions for ophthalmologists lectures and posters mangers optometrists ophthalmic assistants and ophthalmic nurses. There is an international http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-776192.html March 15 2013 Cape Town RSA We speak and sign of windy and variable weather conditions in Oklahoma but I suspect Cape Town could give us a run for the money. We39ve had highly variable weather conditions here most of it quite pleasant but very different each day. Day one we had the south easter winds blowing. We went on a tour of the peninsula and getting out to get a view off one of http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-776161.html March 15 2013 Cape Town RSA Today we started quite early to try and get to the meeting39s 8 am sessions. Somehow our plans were dashed by the heavy traffic this morning so we had a slow ride in to the convention center and missed some early talks. We are staying in Constantia a suburb of Cape Town and we drive in each morning with Dr. Pons who is staying about half a mile up the road wit http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/Constantia/blog-776159.html March 14 2013 Cape Town RSA A little more about the early morning walk. Dr. Pons is an avid outdoorsman with an eclectic knowledge of the environment around us flora fauna history and the geography of the Cape. Morning walks with him are a great learning experience for us. He took us through the area around his fatherinlaws house that has many vineyards on the hillsides all in full harv http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/Constantia/blog-776002.html March 14 2013 Cape Town RSA Today was registration and day one of the Ophthalmology Society of South Africa39s Annual meeting so we had an early start and a late finish...a full day. We started off the day with a nice long walk through the vineyard country. We are in a suburb area of Cape Town called Constantia and it is very close to where Dr. Pons is staying with his fatherinlaw. Hi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/Constantia/blog-775999.html March 13 2013 Cape Town RSA Cape Town is South Africas secondmost populated city with nearly 4 million people. Located on the province of Western Cape it is home to the National Parliament though the capital city is Pretoria it is the legislative capital of the country. The city is famous for its harbor as well as its natural setting including such landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape P http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-775831.html March 13 2013 Cape Town RSA What a difference a night39s sleep makes Waking up to a bright sunny day in Cape Town. Pleasant temperatures in the low 2039s Celsius that is. Breakfast a full English breakfast served at poolside. Will see some sights in Cape Town with Dr. Pons as our tour guide. Should be an adventurous day The OSSA meeting starts in the morning. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-775715.html March 12 2013 Cape Town RSA Just checked in to the Dongola Guest House in Cape Town. Nice comfortable individual suites surrounding a pool. Now time to recharge batteries and get some sleep http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-775648.html